Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in the Maldives on the invitation of Maldives’ Defence Minister Mariya Ahmed Didi, on 1st May 2023.
During his three-day visit, Minister Rajnath is scheduled to hand over a coast guard vessel donated by the Indian government to the Maldives. The new vessel will replace the India-donated coast guard vessel Huravee and will be equipped with many facilities. India will also donate a second landing craft assault (LCA) and 24 utility vehicles to the Maldives.
According to the Defense Ministry, the ministers welcomed the progress made in ongoing defense cooperation between the two neighbors, including joint exercises and exchanges of visits by military officials. They also noted the importance of sharing best practices and expertise in areas such as counterterrorism, disaster management, cybersecurity, and maritime security.
The Ministers agreed to explore new avenues for cooperation, including in the areas of defense trade, capacity building, and joint exercises. They also discussed the need to promote people-to-people contacts and exchanges between the armed forces of both countries.
Minister Rajnath Singh will also have bilateral talks with Maldives officials to enhance defense cooperation and strengthen their long-standing defense and security partnership.
Minister Rajnath Singh’s visit to the Maldives represents a significant milestone in the relationship between the two countries.
